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Research papers on Screen time and child development

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  1. The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Karen Hughes, Mark A Bellis, Katherine A. Hardcastle, et al. · 2017 · The Lancet Public Health · 5,149 citations

    BACKGROUND: A growing body of research identifies the harmful effects that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; occurring during childhood or adolescence; eg, child maltreatment or exposure to domestic violence) have on health throughout life. Studies have quantified such effects for individual ACEs. However, ACEs frequently co-occur and no synthesis of findings from studies measuring the effect of multiple ACE types has been done. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched five electronic databases for cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort studies published up to May 6, 2016, reporting risks of health outcomes, consisting of substance use, sexual health, mental hea

  2. High-quality health systems in the Sustainable Development Goals era: time for a revolution

    Margaret E. Kruk, Anna Gage, Catherine Arsenault, et al. · 2018 · The Lancet Global Health · 4,042 citations

    and respecting all workers to deliver the best care possible. Fourth, governments and civil society should ignite demand for quality in the population to empower people to hold systems accountable and actively seek high-quality care. Additional targeted actions in areas such as health financing, management, district-level learning, and others can complement these efforts. What works in one setting might not work elsewhere, and improvement efforts should be adapted for local context and monitored. Funders should align their support with system-wide strategies rather than contribute to the proliferation of micro-level efforts.

  5. Self-regulatory processes in early personality development: A multilevel approach to the study of childhood social withdrawal and aggression

    Susan D. Calkins, Nathan A. Fox · 2002 · Development and Psychopathology · 574 citations

    Self-regulatory processes are believed to be critical to early personality and behavioral adjustment. Such processes can be observed on multiple levels, including the physiological, attentional, emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal domains of functioning. Data from several longitudinal studies suggest links between early temperamental tendencies such as behavioral inhibition and frustration tolerance, and regulatory developments at the levels of physiological, attentional, and emotional regulation. Deficits in these particular levels of self-regulation may underlie childhood social withdrawal and aggression. Significant gaps remain in our knowledge of the pathways to disordered behavior a

  6. Effects of Physical Activity on Motor Skills and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood: A Systematic Review

    Nan Zeng, Mohammad Ayyub, Haichun Sun, et al. · 2017 · BioMed Research International · 456 citations

    OBJECTIVE: This study synthesized literature concerning casual evidence of effects of various physical activity programs on motor skills and cognitive development in typically developed preschool children. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched through July 2017. Peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effectiveness of physical activity on motor skills and cognitive development in healthy young children (4-6 years) were screened. RESULTS: A total of 15 RCTs were included. Of the 10 studies assessing the effects of physical activity on motor skills, eight (80%) reported significant improvements in motor performance and one observed mixed findings, but one failed t

  8. Parental Reports on Touch Screen Use in Early Childhood

    Alejandrina Cristià, Amanda Seidl · 2015 · PLoS ONE · 195 citations

    Touch screens are increasingly prevalent, and anecdotal evidence suggests that young children are very drawn towards them. Yet there is little data regarding how young children use them. A brief online questionnaire queried over 450 French parents of infants between the ages of 5 and 40 months on their young child's use of touch-screen technology. Parents estimated frequency of use, and further completed several checklists. Results suggest that, among respondent families, the use of touch screens is widespread in early childhood, meaning that most children have some exposure to touch screens. Among child users, certain activities are more frequently reported to be liked than others, findings

  9. Association Between Screen Time Trajectory and Early Childhood Development in Children in China

    Jin Zhao, Zhangsheng Yu, Xiaoning Sun, et al. · 2022 · Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine · 120 citations

    Importance: Screen time has become an integral part of children's daily lives. Nevertheless, the developmental consequences of screen exposure in young children remain unclear. Objective: To investigate the screen time trajectory from 6 to 72 months of age and its association with children's development at age 72 months in a prospective birth cohort. Design, Setting, and Participants: Women in Shanghai, China, who were at 34 to 36 gestational weeks and had an expected delivery date between May 2012 and July 2013 were recruited for this cohort study. Their children were followed up at 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 72 months of age. Children's screen time was classified into 3 groups at age 6

  11. Screen time and early childhood development in Ceará, Brazil: a population-based study

    Hermano Alexandre Lima Rocha, Luciano Lima Correia, Álvaro Jorge Madeiro Leite, et al. · 2021 · BMC Public Health · 71 citations

    BACKGROUND: Globally, children's exposure to digital screens continues to increase and is associated with adverse effects on child health. We aimed to evaluate the association of screen exposure with child communication, gross-motor, fine-motor, problem-solving, and personal-social development scores. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study with cluster sampling among children 0-60 months of age living in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Child screen time was assessed by maternal report and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations were used to define excessive screen time exposure. Child development was assessed with the Brazilian Ages and Stages Questionnaire.

  12. Screen on = development off? A systematic scoping review and a developmental psychology perspective on the effects of screen time on early childhood development

    Fabio Sticca, Valérie Brauchli, Patricia Lannen · 2025 · Frontiers in Developmental Psychology · 23 citations

    Research on the associations between screen time and child development suggests that various forms of screen time might pose a risk for various aspects of child development. However, data on the impact of exposure to screen media on the development of children under 3 years of age is comparatively scarce. Although the evidence available on the topic is evolving rapidly, no review of existing literature has yet encompassed a comprehensive set of developmental outcomes with a focus in the first 3 years of life. To address this research gap, the present literature review focused on the influences of screen time on various developmental outcomes of children aged zero to 36 months. These outcomes

  13. Negotiating screen time: A mother’s struggle over ‘no screen time’ with her infant son

    Laura Teichert · 2020 · Journal of Early Childhood Literacy · 22 citations

    The literature on infant and toddler screen time has been built on two traditions—cognitive models of learning and sociocultural models of learning. Cognitive studies have cautioned against the use of screen time for young children because clinical research has not shown children can learn as effectively from screens as they do from human interaction and might delay children’s cognitive development. Conversely, qualitative research has described the social ways children learn and use digital technology through social interactions with other people in their homes. This paper reports on an autoethnographic study of how digital tools were embedded in the everyday ways of life in my home during

  15. Beyond Screen Time: Effective Use of Digital Tools in Early Childhood Development

    Dalal Aldhilan, Shahid Rafiq, Ayesha Afzal · 2025 · TEM Journal · 1 citations

    This qualitative study explores the integration of digital tools in early childhood education (ECE) in Lahore, Pakistan, through semi-structured interviews with 25 educators and 25 parents of children aged 4–6 years. Employing thematic analysis, the study identifies seven themes: Educational Enhancement, Access and Equity Challenges, Developmental Concerns, Teacher Preparedness, Screen Time Regulation Strategies, Cultural and Contextual Relevance, and Parental Involvement. Findings reveal that digital tools, such as interactive apps, enhance engagement, literacy, numeracy, and motivation. Still, benefits are limited by unequal access to devices and the internet, particularly in public school

  17. The influence of screen time and screen activity on socio-emotional development in 5-year-old children: Findings from a nationally representative Irish cohort study

    Chloé Beatty, Suzanne M. Egan · 2026 · Journal of Early Childhood Research

    The present research focuses on the influence of both screen time and various screen activities (television, video or educational games) on the socio-emotional development of 9001 Irish 5-year-old children using a nationally representative birth cohort study. Parents were asked about their children’s screen use and various family factors, while socio-emotional development was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression models examined the influence of screen use factors on externalised, internalised, and prosocial behaviour, while controlling for environment and family factors. Engaging in two or more hours of screen time per day had a small

  19. The Role of Parents in Implementing Screen Time Restrictions on Children to Help Improve Social Development

    Teris Maf'tuhatun, Hayani Wulandari · 2023 · GENIUS Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education

    Technology has a significant influence on human life, including the lives of children. Behind the many positive impacts of technology, there are also negative impacts, one of which is that children's social development will be hampered. So, time limits, assistance, and parental direction are needed to provide screen time to children. The purpose of this research is to determine the role of parents in implementing screen time restrictions on children to help improve their social skills. This research uses descriptive qualitative research methods. The data collection method used was a questionnaire. The questionnaire contains eight questions related to the role of parents in implementing scree

  21. Screen time trajectories and academic performance across childhood and early adolescence: The role of socioeconomic status

    Neil Kaye, Jennifer E. Symonds · 2025 · International Journal of Behavioral Development

    This study uses large-scale longitudinal data to identify distinct trajectories of TV consumption and computer use across childhood to early adolescence and examine their relationships with academic performance and socioeconomic status (SES). Data were drawn from the UK’s Millenium Cohort Study sweeps at ages 3, 5, 7, and 11 years (total N  = 16,260). Using latent profile analysis, we identified six trajectories of computer use and six trajectories of television consumption, across the ages of 5 to 11 years. We then tested their associations with academic performance and SES using multinomial logistic regression and multigroup mode

  22. Impact Of Screen Time On Executive Function In Early Childhood

    Rudritara Shroff · 2025 · International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

    The World Health Organization (WHO) mandates no screen time for children below two years of age; and an upper limit of one hour per day for children aged 2–5 years. However, contemporary research studies present a whole new perspective - 53% of Indian children receive screen exposure before the age of 2; roughly 88% use screen media during mealtime, and 68% do so within an hour before bedtime. The digital era makes it easy to normalize this increased exposure to screens, but we ought to be concerned about its developmental consequences on early childhood development. The ensuing study probes the relationship between screen time and executive function in children aged 3 to 6 years. Deploying

  23. Parental Involvement in Mattering Early Childhood Digital Literacy: The Role of Balanced Screen time and Access to Technology Evidence from Indonesia

    Asmayawati . · 2023 · INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

    This study aimed to explore the dynamics of early childhood digital literacy in Indonesia and examine the roles of parental involvement, balanced screen time, and access to technology in shaping digital literacy outcomes. A quantitative research approach was employed, involving a sample of Indonesian parents and educators. Data were collected through surveys and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study revealed that parental involvement positively influences early childhood digital literacy, highlighting the significance of active parental engagement in fostering digital skills. Additionally, balanced screen time was found to enhance digital literacy, emphasizing the importance

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